Lock for automobile seats



y 1967 M. H. GOLDMAN ETAL 3,322,461

LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE SEATS Filed Dec. 7, 1964 Fig.

Mar/r H sole/man Edward V. Kape/ Lawrence E. Lua'a IN VENI'ORS 9 BY WMEMM United States Patent O LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE SEATS Mark H. Goldman, 6 Bailey Laue, Uniontown, Pa. 15401; Edward V. Kapel, RD. 1, Brownsville, Pa. 15417; and Lawrence E. Luda, Box 92, 2 Legion St., Republic, Pa. 15475; said Kapel and said Luda assignors jointly of one-sixth to said Goldman Filed Dec. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 416,378

3 Claims. (Cl. 297-379) This invention generally relates to motor vehicle seats of the individual type comprising a hinged or folding backrest, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for automatically locking or latching the backrest of such seats against forward swinging movement.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide an automatic seat backrest lock of the character described com-prising unique means for rendering the device inoperative when desired.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic lock or latch of the aforementioned character which is adapted to be expeditiously installed without altering the seat structure and with unskilled labor.

Other objects are to provide a seat backrest lock in accordance with the foregoing which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, inconspicuous and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is -a perspective view, showing a portion of a motor Vehicle body having therein a seat equipped with a lock embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, showing the backrest in its forward or folded position;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view showing the lock in its inoperative position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will 'be seen that reference numeral 6 designates generally one of the individual front seats in a two door body 8 of a motor vehicle 10. The seat 6 includes the usual cushioned seat or base unit 12 and back-rest 14. The backrest 14 comprises arms 16 which terminate in downwardly and forwardly curved lower end portions pivotally secured at 18 to the sides of the seat unit 12 for forward swinging movement.

The embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a metallic keeper in the form of bar 20 which is mounted on the upper portion of the back 22 of the seat structure 12 in a manner to project laterally beyond the outer side of said seat structure as shown to advantage in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The keeper 20 is apertured at spaced points to accommodate screws or other suitable fasteners 24 for securing said keeper on the seat structure 12. In the embodiment shown, the bar comprising the keeper 20 is slightly twisted at an intermediate point, as at 26, to incline or pitch the projecting outer end portion 28 upwardly and rearwardly.

Pivotally mounted at 30 for vertical swinging movement on the lower portion of the outer arm 16 of the backrest 14 is a flat, substantially segmental metallic hook or latch 32. The hook 32 is engageable with the projecting end portion 28 of the keeper 20 for positively locking the backrest 14 in the operative position of FIGURE 1 of the drawings. Hook 32 is biased toward operative position "ice by a spring 34 having one end connected to said hook and its other end anchored to the lower portion of the outer arm 16.

To render the hook 32 inoperative when desired, a guard 36 in the form of an elongated metallic plate has one end portion pivotally secured, as at 38, for vertical swinging movement on the projecting end portion 28 of the keeper 20. In its operative position, the guard 36 parallels the end portion 28 of the keeper 20 in face-abutting engagement therewith. The free end portion of the guard 36 is provided with a forwardly bent flange 40 which is engageable as a stop on the upper edge of the keeper 20 in the path of the hook 32.

It is thought that the operation of the lock will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, when the backrest 14 is returned to its operative position from the folded or inoperative position of FIG- URE 2 of the drawings, the spring-biased hook 32 engages the projecting end portion 28 of the keeper 20 and anchors said backrest against forward swinging movement. To release the backrest to be swung forwardly, the hook 32 is manually swung upwardly against the action of the spring 34 out of engagement with the keeper 20. When the backrest 14 is in the forward position of FIG- URE 2, downward swinging movement of the hook 32 under the influence of the spring 34 is limited by a stop pin 42 on the lower portion of the outer arm 16. To render the locking hook 32 inoperative, the guard 36 is swung downwardly from the inoperative position of FIGURE 3 of the drawings to the operative position of FIGURE 4 of said drawings. In the latter position the flange 40 of the guard 36 rests longitudinally on the upper edge of the end portion 28 of the keeper 20 in the path of the hook 32 for engagement thereby. The free end portion of the hook 32 comprises a rounded bill or cam 44 which engages and rides on the flange 40 to the position of FIG- URE 4 of the drawings, thus preventing said hook from functioning. When the guard 36 is in its inoperative position and the backrest 14 is to be locked, the cam shape-d bill 44 rides over the end portion 28 of the keeper 20 and, under the influence of the spring 34, snaps downwardly therebehind. It will be noted that the construction and arrangement is such that in either position of the guard 36 the flange 40 is engaged with the upper edge of the keeper 20. Should the spring 34 fail, the construction and arrangement also is such that the hook 32 will engage the keeper 20 by gravity. As shown to advantage in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, the bill portion of the hook 32 is shaped to conform to the slanted or pitched end portion 28 of the keeper 20.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For a vehicle seat including a seat unit and a backrest hingedly mounted thereon for forward swinging movement from an operative position, a lock comprising a keeper mounted on the rear portion of the seat unit, a hook pivotally mounted on the backrest and, in response to rearward swinging movement of the backrest to operative position, engageable with the keeper for anchoring said backrest in said operative position, and means for shielding the keeper from the hook for rendering said hook inoperative, said means including a guard on the keeper positionable in the path of the hook for engaging said hook and retaining same out of engagement with the keeper when the backrest is swung to its operative position, said keeper comprising a bar secured on the seat unit and including a laterally projecting end portion engageable by the hook, said hook comprising a generally cam-shaped bill adapted to ride over the bar and engage therebehind, said guard including an elongated plate having one end portion pivotally secured to the bar for swinging movement between operative and inoperative positions, said guard further including a flange on the free end portion of the plate engageable by the hook bill in the operative position and engageable with the bar in both positions.

2. The combination of claim 1, together with a spring connected to the hook for swinging same toward operative position.

3. The combination of claim 2, and a stop pin on the 4 backrest for limiting swinging movement of the hook by the spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,737,229 3/1956 semar 297379 2,873,794 2/1959 Leslie et a1. 297-379 3,028,198 4/1962 Murr 297-316 3,123,401 3/1964 Komenda 297379 3,185,525 5/1965 Welsh 297367 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

GLENN O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FOR A VEHICLE SEAT INCLUDING A SEAT UNIT AND A BACKREST HINGEDLY MOUNTED THEREON FOR FORWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT FROM AN OPERATIVE POSITION, A LOCK COMPRISING A KEEPER MOUNTED ON THE REAR PORTION OF THE SEAT UNIT, A HOOK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE BACKREST AND, IN RESPONSE TO REARWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE BACKREST TO OPERATIVE POSITION, ENGAGEABLE WITH THE KEEPER FOR ANCHORING SAID BACKREST IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION, AND MEANS FOR SHIELDING THE KEEPER FROM THE HOOK FOR RENDERING SAID HOOK INOPERATIVE, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A GAURD ON THE KEEPER POSITIONABLE IN THE PATH OF THE HOOK FOR ENGAGING SAID HOOK AND RETAINING SAME OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE KEEPER WHEN HE BACKREST IS SWUNG TO ITS OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID KEEPER COMPRISING A BAR SECURED ON THE SEAT UNIT AND INCLUDING A LATERALLY PROJECTING END PORTION ENGAGEABLE BY HOOK, SAID HOOK COMPRISING A GENERALLY CAM-SHAPED BILL ADAPTED TO RIDE OVER THE BAR AND ENGAGE THEREBEHIND, SAID GUARD INCLUDING AN ELONGATED PLATE HAVING ONE END PORTION PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE BAR FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE POSITIONS, SAID GUARD FURTHER INCLUDING A FLANGE ON THE FREE END PORTION OF THE PLATE 